Chairman of the 1922 Committee announcing Theresa May's survival of attempt by Tory MPs to oust her with a motion of no confidence at the Houses of Parliament, December 12, 2018. Stefan Rousseau/ Press Association. All rights reserved.
Among other things, Brexit is a constitutional crisis. No one in their right mind could wish for what has befallen the British people, yet their constitution did not award them protection. With chaos a reality, nor is the constitution able to rescue the British from misfortune. Damage has been caused to the polity and economy, and to the nation’s standing in the world, that it will take years and years to repair.
Brexit is supposed to be about Parliament’s sovereignty. Yet, what it has revealed is that Parliament is not sovereign. It took a court case to decide what should have been 100% obvious, that if the country is to embark on fundamental constitutional change, that must be by a decision of Parliament. Through the process, it has been a never-ending battle for Parliament to have any role of decision-making, except to ratify what the government presents to it, if that. The language is astonishing: it is being argued over when and how Parliament will “be given” a right to vote. If Parliament is sovereign and wants to vote, it votes. If someone else (the government) is in a position to “give” it the right to vote, it is not sovereign. Through the process, it has been a never-ending battle for Parliament to have any role of decision-making, except to ratify what the government presents to it, if that.
